GREENLAND —The morning after Police Chief Mike Maloney was killed in the line of duty, residents of the small town he served were still struggling to deal with his loss, and working to honor him in any way they could.

For local businessman Jeff Andersen, owner of High Flying Flags and a sail-making company right across the street from the police station, honoring Maloney meant lowering the seven flags outside his store to half-staff.

While Andersen said he did not know Maloney very well, he had lived in the community for about 30 years and knew the kind of work the chief did for the community.

"He was a really neat guy," he said Friday. "He was very friendly, jovial, and extremely professional."

Andersen said he could not believe the news when he first heard of the shooting on Post Road Thursday night, in which Maloney was shot and killed — allegedly by Cullen Mutrie, 29, of 517 Post Road — while executing a search warrant with a group of other officers.

"It's shocking, particularly the revelation that this can happen anywhere," Andersen said. "I think we were under the impression that we were immune from these things...he (Maloney) will be very missed."

Andersen said Maloney will be remembered for his hard work and dedication to the Greenland community.

"He did his duty, and unfortunately he gave everything," he said. "It's really, really sad."

Town officials lowered their own flag outside the municipal offices Friday morning, and local residents hung mourning bunting on the front of the building.

The purple and black striped drapings are a sign of the loss of the chief, Andersen said.